Watching Roman Polanski's The Ghost, I had a mild feeling of déjà vu. I felt as though I had already seen some of the film's themes explored elsewhere. Polanski's1976 psychological thriller The Tenant darkly explored what it would be like to fill someone else's shoes, to such an extent that you eventually become them.
In The Tenant, Polanski himself played the protagonist, a man named Trelkovsky, who rents a flat belonging previously to a girl who threw herself from the apartment's window, seemingly without motive. In the end, Trelkovsky himself attempts suicide in exactly the same manner as his 'predecessor', and events leading up to this tragic finale directly mirror the sad life of the girl who lived in the flat before him.
The Ghost is a wonderful companion piece to The Tenant as it sees Ewan McGregor step into the shoes of a man who, as the ghost writer for the autobigraphy of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) dies in mysterious circumstances.
Everything begins normally enough, McGregor's character, who is unnamed throughout the film and is simply referred to as 'the ghost', wins the job of finishing the politcally-charged memories and sets off to meet the former prime minster, who as the film unfolds is revealed to be a very thinly vieled portrayal of former-Labour Leader and British Prime Minster Tony Blair.
Similarities to The Tenant become most apparent when, following a media crisis involving Lang's decision to back America in the Iraq war and his supposed approval of interogation torture techniques, 'the ghost' is required to live in Lang's clinical, bunker-like residence until things blow over. His living quarters? The same room his predecessor occupied, complete with a wardrobe full of the dead man's clothes.
Having seen The Tenant, a foreboding feeling of dread for McGregor's character filled me and I was on the edge of my seat from that moment on. Nothing good could come of this, surely?
The Ghost is a brilliant film, filled with fine performances from its entire cast. Brosnan's portrayal of the frustrated Lang deserves special recognition as, although he has a relatively small amount of screen time, his anger and weariness spring off the screen. Ewan McGregor finds his feet once again with a role which, despite feeling familiar, he makes his own. His 'ghost writer' is a protagonist the audience can root for.
Another stand out performance worth mentioning is that of Tom Wilkinson who plays the enigmatic Professor Paul Emmett, an eerie, bespeckled compulsive liar whose short screen time will send a shiver up your spine.
Film buffs should look out for legendary actor Eli Wallach in a small but pivotal role. I also want to mention that the film ends with a haunting and beautifully shot scene which had me smiling at Roman Polanski's brilliance as a director.
The Ghost is a must-see for those who like their films full of intrigue and tension. There are no fireworks or gunfights, but don't let that deter you, as this thinking-man's political thriller will still have you sweating with suspense as 'the ghost writer' sinks further and further into the murky abyss of political secrets.
8/10
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